Does the Young Master Kill, the Youth Seeks the Sacred Mountain to Ask the Sacred Master

The spring rain stopped, not a single drop falling anymore. The evening clouds that had just been blown away rolled back in, obscuring the afterglow of the sunset that had graced the human world for just a moment.

The wind blowing through the air had become somewhat biting.

Liu Qingyan is dead?

An Le was stunned for a moment when he heard the news, his brow furrowed slightly.

"Liu Qingyan was beheaded with a single sword, without any power to resist. His body lay in the long street, his blood staining the bluestone," Captain Huang Xian sighed.

He exchanged a glance with An Le; both of them could actually guess who had killed Liu Qingyan.

An Le nodded, indicating he already knew. Liu Qingyan was dead, and if he hadn't been, An Le might have sought him out for justice.

"In addition, besides Liu Qingyan, the three gang thugs he kept who attacked you are also dead," Huang Xian said. "They were taken away by yamen constables and executed on the spot at the vegetable market."

An Le pursed his lips, feeling a bit dazed, a chill creeping through his body.

It wasn't out of sympathy for the deceased Liu Qingyan and the three thugs, but a profound melancholy about the fragility of life that welled up from the depths of his heart.

So this was what death was like... so simple and dismissive.

Luo Qingchen, this cultivator, his disregard for life perhaps exceeded An Le's imagination.

Or perhaps, this was simply how the world was. Cultivators stood high above, looking down on the weak and ordinary, treating their lives as if they were weeds by the roadside, able to be casually plucked.

An Le was naturally considered weak now. Without the protection of the Lin Manor, he might have died powerlessly like Liu Qingyan and the three thugs.

He exhaled, and the desire to become stronger grew more intense within An Le.

At the very least, he had to become strong enough that Luo Qingchen, and even the Qin Manor behind him, could not crush him as easily as stepping on an ant, before he could find peace.

Captain Huang clearly saw An Le's state of mind and invited him to a restaurant, though not an extravagant one like the Drunken Dragon Pavilion.

They ordered some food and wine, and An Le requested some warmed yellow wine. The two began to eat and drink.

Taking a sip of the warm yellow wine and a bite of pig's head meat, Huang Xian looked at An Le and chuckled, "Young Master An... you've never killed anyone before, have you?"

An Le took a small sip of the yellow wine. The wine was brewed rather roughly, but it tasted decent, with a certain flavor within.

"Never. I've studied since childhood, passed the imperial examinations, and then came to Lin'an. On the way, I was robbed by bandits. My guards ran off, and I was unarmed. I had no strength to kill the thieves, and was beaten instead," An Le said with a self-deprecating smile. "That was probably the closest I've ever come to killing someone. Even when I was attacked before, I never had the intention to kill."

Captain Huang clinked glasses with An Le and nodded. "That's normal. You have a kind heart, young master, and you won't think of killing unless pushed to the absolute limit. But now that you are a cultivator and have crossed the Qin Manor, perhaps you should change your mindset."

"Kindness will be taken advantage of."

"Cultivation, by its very nature, is inseparable from conflict."

Huang Xian was both advising and reminding him.

An Le pondered this. Even if he didn't wish it, this was the reality of the era. If he didn't kill, others would kill him. If his sword hesitated, others would wish their swords moved even faster.

Huang Xian had a good impression of An Le, as he was refined, handsome, and had foiled the Qin Manor's plot to install a painter in the Lin Manor.

This reminder was also out of genuine sincerity.

"Young Master An... your offense against the Qin Manor is actually partly my fault. If I hadn't invited you to the Lin Manor, you wouldn't have offended them. Here, I'll toast an apology."

Huang Xian drank a large gulp of wine, then wiped his mouth and stared at An Le, speaking earnestly, "Currently, the Lin Manor can still protect you, young master. But once the Palace Examination concludes, the Lin Manor will inevitably be embroiled in turmoil, and they will struggle to protect themselves, let alone you."

"Therefore, if you wish for your own safety, there is actually... another path."

Huang Xian thought for a moment before speaking.

An Le raised his cup in acknowledgment and drank it down in one go. "Please enlighten me, Captain Huang."

"It's not really enlightenment; it's not much of a secret. You've asked Madam Hua about cultivation, so you should know that Great Zhao has three major cultivation powers, right?" Captain Huang waved his hand with a smile.

"The Spirit Refinement Academy, the Body Forging Temple, and the transcendent Sacred Mountain," An Le replied.

"Fortune waxes and wanes, and the cycle of time reveals heavenly secrets. The Sacred Mountain's clouds scatter without a trace, and the great generals ascend in brilliance to the purple heavens."

Huang Xian recited, "This was written by a friend of the legendary top scholar Li You'an, describing the phenomenon of the Sacred Mountain."

"To enter the Sacred Mountain is to easily ascend to the immortal gate."

"If you wish to protect yourself, young master, you can choose to join one of the three powers, whether it be the Academy, the Temple, or the Sacred Mountain."

"However, both the Academy and the Temple have Prime Minister Qin's influence. You might not die, young master, but you would suffer greatly. Only by entering the Sacred Mountain, even if just as a mountain guardian, can you make all parties wary," Huang Xian said, a hint of reverence and longing in his eyes.

An Le took a sip of wine. "Captain Huang, it's easy for you to say. Not to mention ancient times, even in the present day, how many people in the Great Zhao Dynasty can enter the Sacred Mountain?"

Madam Hua had told An Le how difficult it was to enter the Sacred Mountain, comparing it to climbing to the heavens.

Huang Xian looked at An Le and smiled. "To be recognized by the Sacred Master and appointed as a Mountain Lord is naturally difficult; without peerless talent, it's hard to become a Mountain Lord. However... if you aim to be a mountain guardian, the difficulty is much lower."

"Every year, several cultivators from the Great Zhao Dynasty are accepted into the Sacred Mountain as mountain guardians. While guardians also have their talent assessed, it's more about the Mountain Lord's favor. Young Master An is handsome and eye-catching, and though his enlightenment is late, he possesses some talent. If you seek safety, you can go to the foot of the Sacred Mountain and compete for the qualification of a mountain guardian."

Huang Xian chuckled.

An Le was taken aback. Did Captain Huang mean for him to conquer the Sacred Mountain Lord with his looks?

It felt rather unreliable...

An Le shook his head, his interest waning. The idea of entering Sacred Mountain based on appearance felt too strange.

He, An Le, still felt it was more stable to earn a living through his own abilities.

In fact, An Le even wanted to try his best to see if he could enter Sacred Mountain and seek out the Sacred Master.

"We'll talk about it later. Captain Huang, didn't you ask me to draw a portrait of a criminal? Describe the criminal's appearance to me, and I'll draw it when I get back and give it to you tomorrow."

Huang Xian didn't bring up the topic again and described the criminal's appearance to An Le.

"This criminal is a notorious bandit named Hu Jingang. Although he's a man of the martial world, he's also a cultivator. His Blood Essence has been opened to perfection, and he's extremely brutal. A village outside Lin'an Prefecture, with dozens of households, was completely wiped out."

Huang Xian put down his wine cup, his expression grave. "He's unremarkable in appearance and has blended into Lin'an Prefecture, making it difficult to find him. If we had a portrait to post on notices, it would allow the public to report any sightings, helping to capture him sooner."

As An Le took notes, the image of the criminal gradually formed in his mind.

"Oh, right. I also have something I'd like to trouble Captain Huang with. Do you happen to know anyone in the real estate business? I'm currently staying in a cramped inn, and it's really inconvenient for practicing martial arts. I'm looking for a place with a courtyard."

An Le inquired.

Huang Xian didn't find this unusual. An Le was currently painting for the Lin Manor and must be earning quite a bit of money. It was normal for him to want to move to a separate residence.

"Yes, a brother from the Black Yamen died in the line of duty, and his wife and daughter want to leave Lin'an to return to her family home. This separate residence is up for sale, though the price is a bit high. If you're interested, Young Master An, we can go take a look right now."

Huang Xian said quickly. If he could sell this residence, it would be a way to help his fallen brother.

"Not right now. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I'll pack my things, and we can move together."

An Le chuckled. He didn't ask about the price. With his current wealth, buying a small courtyard wouldn't be a problem.

"Alright, alright, Young Master An. I, Huang, thank you in advance."

Captain Huang solemnly poured a cup of cold yellow wine, respectfully lifted it, and drank it in one gulp.

An Le smiled and returned the gesture with a cup of wine.

An Le returned to the inn and asked the waiter for hot water. After taking a hot bath, he sat in meditation indoors.

He took out the "Sword Waterfall Diagram" and closed his eyes to contemplate it.

As a top-tier Spirit Refinement technique, An Le had previously entered samadhi by contemplating the sword diagram. However, in reality, the first diagram could still be contemplated and understood for some time.

Madam Hua had told him about the differences in cultivation realms, but not the specific divisions between them. In detail, there were four minor stages: early, middle, late, and perfection.

An Le was currently in the early stage of opening Qi and Blood, and the early stage of entering samadhi.

However, in reality, the divisions between minor stages had a significant impact. Cultivation techniques, combat skills, and so on, all fluctuated. It wasn't uncommon to engage in combat across minor stages.

Sitting upright on a wooden chair, his breaths were calm and subtle, already entering samadhi.

An Le contemplated the first sword diagram.

Deep within his mind, his spiritual power, like threads, intertwined, vaguely forming the shape of a sharp sword cutting through the sky.

The Talent of the Ages Dao Fruit's gifted talent was truly remarkable.

An Le felt that the speed at which this thread-like spiritual power intertwined was much faster than his previous attempts at entering samadhi.

Coupled with the Sword Dancer Dao Fruit's enhancement to sword-related skills, An Le felt as if he were sitting on a cloud.

His spiritual power continuously grew stronger through meditation.

After meditating for about two hours, An Le opened his eyes. In the darkness, a faint glimmer seemed to burst forth, like a star in the sky casting its light upon the mortal world!

When the contemplation caused a slight stinging sensation deep within his mind, An Le stopped. Cultivation required a balance between exertion and rest; too much or too little was detrimental.

Within the Niwan Palace, a blurry sword embryo, formed by the convergence and condensation of spiritual power, had taken shape.

An Le estimated that, according to the realm divisions, he had stepped into the middle stage of entering samadhi.

After completing Spirit Refinement, An Le emerged from his meditative state.

The strengthened spirit gave him finer control over his body. He stretched his muscles, and his Blood Essence was propelled through his meridians by his vital energy.

An Le exhaled a breath of stale air and began practicing the Tiger Thirteen Forms of the Five Animal Body Tempering Technique indoors.

His movements were powerful and swift, like thunder!

The battle at Quiet Street, although his opponents were ordinary martial arts thugs, had allowed An Le to gain a deeper understanding of the Tiger Style through personal combat.

"The 'Sword Waterfall Diagram' has the Sword Dancer Dao Fruit's enhancement, which benefits my cultivation. However, the 'Five禽 Body Tempering Technique' doesn't have a Dao Fruit to enhance it. Since that's the case, I'll use Time Qi to enhance it."

An Le thought to himself and then applied the remaining three wisps of Time Qi to the Five Animal Body Tempering Technique.

The gray Time Qi burned, and images flashed before his eyes like a fleeting white steed.

However, as the last wisp of gray Time Qi ignited, An Le's eyes lit up, and he began to observe intently.

This was because the figure within this wisp of Time Qi... was performing the Five Animal Frolics Body Tempering Technique!